HTC 8X Revealed

HTC vs Nokia?

Nokia is now preparing to file a suit against HTC for copying their design...

We all saw what happened when Apple and Samsung locked horns over who stole what idea from whom, and now it looks like we’re set for another tech design battle royale in the courtroom. But not with Apple or Samsung.

HTC has just unveiled its latest smartphones, the 8X (a high-end Windows 8 phone) and the 8S (a budget Windows 8 phone), which look a lot (read: exactly) like Nokia’s recently launched Lumia 920 and 820 smartphones. And according to industry insiders blabbing to PC-Tablet.com, this hasn’t gone unnoticed at Nokia, which, claim those insiders, is now preparing to file a suit against HTC for copying their design. The specifics include the font face and the side-curves on the phone body, which are more or less identical to the Lumia 820. Plus, there’s the small matter of using the same bright colours on the body. This is all hearsay at the moment, of course, and Nokia has made no official announcement. Still, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, please be seated…

ReadyCase Is A Swiss Army Knife For Your iPhoneIt’s entirely possible someone somewhere was looking at their iPhone and thinking, “Why doesn’t this thing have a knife on it?” I just don’t know anyone personally who’s felt empty without that addition. But now? Now I’m certain all that’s about to change, thanks to the ReadyCase.

Crafted from aerospace grade composite materials, this 3mm thick iPhone protector comes packed with everything you need to survive life in the fast lane, the slow lane and also… the wilderness. Built-in to the back of the case is a detachable 8GB or 16GB USB storage stick so anorexic you’ll barely know it’s there. But that USB stick also doubles as a handy stand you can fit in seconds to the case’s portrait and landscape stand slots, which is clever indeed. There’s also a clip for your headphones and their troublesome cable, plus a lens ring that allows you to easily attach any of three special lenses – macro, fish eye and wide angle – that ship with the ReadyCase.

Were they to stop there, you’d be impressed. But no. Because there’s also a multi-tool, on which you’ll find a standard blade, a serrated blade, a flathead screwdriver and – man’s own key to the universe – a bottle opener. And remember, all this still fits into your pocket while protecting your iPhone (whether it’s a 4, 4S or the new 5, which it might well be seeing as they’ve sold five million in the first weekend). Pre-order yours now, ready for shipping next February. It’s here.

Take A Nap With The Ostrich PillowBrilliant innovation needn’t be reserved for apps or new bits of electronic kit. Proving this, we have the Ostrich Pillow, thus named for the way it buries your head, as opposed to its filling, which is synthetic.

Having recently found its way onto crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, the Ostrich Pillow is a clever way of catching some zeds wherever you might find yourself – in the office, in the air, on a date, at a funeral – and offers a “micro-environment” in which to take a warm, comfortable power nap.

In short? It’s a dream helmet. Stick your head inside, your hands, too and then drift off. Chances are you’ll feel better for it: one study suggests a 20 minute power can increase productivity by up to 30 percent. Another study over a six-year period found that those who took naps at least three times a week had a 37 percent lower risk of heart-related death. And if tech giants like Google and Cisco are both pro-napping, you should be, too. Knock yourself out after you’ve ordered yours here.

Self-balancing Unicycle Is GoCommute a bit dull? Not anymore! The SBUV3 is a self-balancing unicycle no one asked for but which we should all now want. Plant your bum on the comfy gel-padded saddle, lean forward and the 1,000watt motor will zoom you along at up to 15mph as the world looks on in wonder (and make sure you hold on, as it cracks 0-10mph in 3 seconds).

As you may have guessed from the name, there’s absolutely no need to have first mastered the art of unicycling because this thing self-balances, with its electronic brain performing 1,000 balance calculations per second to keep you upright. Lean forward to go forward, lean back to slow down and stop. There’s turn assist to help you around corners, but you’re mostly responsible for left and right balance, which you can master in around 20 minutes once aboard. If you can’t, don’t panic. There are training wheels.

The range is approximately 10 miles on a single charge and thanks to regenerative braking, the battery can last that little bit longer – city riding time is around two hours, while a solid sprint will give you around an hour’s use, which is roughly the same time it takes to the battery to recharge. What are you waiting for? Get yours now, for (say it quickly) £1,500 from Firebox.

World's First Tweet Shop Is OpenIf your Twitter feed is suddenly filled with glowing Special K references, don’t panic – it’s just people paying for snacks with a tweet. The Tweet Shop by Kellogg’s opened in London (Meard Street, Soho) on Tuesday and until 5pm this Friday, is allowing anyone who wanders in to pay for a pack of Special K Cracker Crisps – the brand’s latest bid to banish fatties – simply by tweeting about them.

No money changes hands. You just throw a message out there to the Twittersphere about this new low-calorie snack (which might be, “Wow! New Special K Cracker Crisps taste great!” but could just as easily be “Wow! Special K Cracker Crisps taste AWFUL”) and wait for the goods. Although maybe don’t expect to get your crisps if you go with the less positive message, as the shop staff – “iconic Special K girls in red dresses” – will police each tweet before handing over the goods. You’ve been warned.